chandler clark. mongols rode tough little ponies to round up herds, hunt, and make war very…
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Theme 1: Interaction Between Humans and their Environment
Mongols rode tough little ponies to round up herds, hunt, and make war
Very mobile (followed herds of animals from pasture to pasture, nomadic)
After the decline of the Yuan dynasty, many Mongols returned to central Asiaconsequence of interaction: transmitting of the fleas carrying the bubonic plague—the Black Death—from China and central Asia to the Middle East and Europe
Mongols brought the Muslim and European worlds new military knowledge, especially the use of gunpowder
Depended on environment to live (animals provided all the necessities for life)
Theme 2: Development and Interaction of Cultures
Mongol military forces: entirely cavalry Mongol courage in battle, bravery in hunt Mongol influence on Russia: military and
political organization, isolated Russia from developments in western European civilization like the Renaissance and the Reformation
Great confederations of tribes were organized for defensive and offensive operations
Mongol battle tactic: cavalry feign defeat, flee, attack
Theme 2 continued Mongols: tolerant leaders (once conquered people were subdued, Chinggis
Khan took interest in their arts and learning) Mongol tolerance drew scholars, artists, artisans, and office seekers from
many regions Yuan policy toward religion during Mongol occupation: like their ancestors,
insisted on religious toleration Script devised for Mongolian language Kubilai was interested in all religions; Buddhists, Nestorian and Latin
Christians, Daoists, and Muslims were all present at court Welcomed foreign visitors(Venetian Marco Polo) Scholar-gentry regarded Mongols as uncouth barbarians with policies
endangering Chinese traditions. Resented refusal to reinstate the examination system
Mongols bolstered the position of artisans and merchants who previously not had received high status. Both prospered as the Mongols improved transportation and expanded the supply of paper money
Mongols developed a substantial navy that helped conquest and increased commerce
Urban life and artistic endeavors (musical drama) flourished in Yuan
Theme 3: State Building, Expansion, and Conflict
Within decades, Mongols built empire that stretched from the Middle Eastern heartlands of Islamic world to China Sea
Early 12th century, Chinggis Khan's great-grandfather, Kabul Khan, led Mongol alliance that had won glory by defeating army sent by Qin kingdom north China
Chinggis Khan elected khagan (supreme ruler) of Mongol tribes
Theme 3 continued Mongols built up war force New weapons(powerful short bows fired from
horseback, gunpowder, cannons), military discipline
Armies, divided into fighting units of 10,000 (tumens), included both heavy and light cavalry, rode east and west in conquest in second decade of 13th century
Best armed and trained and most experienced, disciplined, mobile soldiers in world
Theme 3: Conquest in China
1207: Mongols defeated the northwestern China Tangut kingdom of Xi Xia Then attacked the Qin Empire established by the Jurchens in north China Mongols developed new tactics for capturing fortified urban centers. Cities
that resisted were utterly destroyed, while cities that submitted ensured their safety by paying tribute to Mongol conquerors.
Chinggis Khan's rule of Mongol empire: religious toleration, brought peace to much of Asia, promoted growth of trade and commerce, promulgated a legal code to end divisions and quarrels among Mongol clans
Mongol conquest of Song China: one of the toughest areas for the Mongols to conquer, taking from 1235-1279 to subdue
capital of Mongol empire under Chinggis Khan: Karakorum (consulted with Confucian scholars about how to rule China)
After China, they moved westward Victory over Khwarazm brought many Turkic horsemen into Chinggis Khan's
army The Xi Xia kingdom and the Qin empire were destroyed. At the death of
Chinggis Khan in 1227, the Mongols ruled an empire stretching from Persia to the North China Sea
Theme 3: Conquest in Russia
13th century, Kiev was in decline and Russia was divided into many petty kingdoms, unable to unite before the Mongols (called Tartars by Russians)
Batu, Chinggis Khan's grandson, invaded in 1236 and defeated Russian armies. In 1240, Kiev was taken and ravaged. Novgorod was spared when its ruler, Alexander Nevskii, peacefully submitted
Russian resistance to Mongol invasion: princes of Russia refused to cooperate and were routed individually
Russians became vassals of the khan of the Golden Horde As Moscow grew in strength, the power of the Golden
Horde decline and defeat at Kulikova in 1380 End of 14th century: Moscow was the center of political
power in Russia
Theme 3: Conquest in Europe
Christian western Europe initially: pleased by Mongol success against Islam; many west thought Mongol khan was Prester John
When the Mongols moved westward into Hungary, western Europeans were concerned, but then they withdrew
Satisfied with conquests in Asia and the Middle East, the Mongols never returned to Europe
Mongols did not pursue conquest of Western Europe because the death of Khagan Ogedei in Karakorum precipitated struggle for succession involving the khan of the Golden Horde
Theme 3: Conquest in the Islamic Heartland
Hulegu (grandson of Chinggis Khan) moved westward against Mesopotamia and North Africa
Baghdad was destroyed in 1258 Mongol assault resulted in: end of Abbasid dynasty at
Baghdad (Islam had lost its central authority and thus much of its civilization was devastated) and decline of Seljuk Turks (defeated 1243) opened Asia Minor to conquest by the Ottoman Turks
Mongol advance halted in 1260 when the Mamluks of Egypt defeated the Mongols
Hulegu, faced with threats to his rule, including conversion of the khan of Golden Horde to Islam, did not resume campaign
Theme 3: Conquest in China (again)
Kubilai Khan (grandson of Chinggis Khan) mid-13th century led the Mongols against the Song
1271, Kubilai's dynasty became the Yuan Kubilai attempted to preserve the distinction between
Mongols and Chinese Chinese were forbidden from learning the Mongol script
and intermarriage was prohibited Mongol religious ceremonies and customs were retained.
Kubilai refused to reestablish exams for the civil service Despite the measures protecting Mongol culture, Kubilai
was fascinated by Chinese civilization Kubilai adopted much from Chinese culture into his court;
the capital at Tatu (Beijing) was in Chinese style
Theme 3: Decline of Yuan and Founding of Ming
Revolt, failed expeditions, defeat, and a corrupted Yuan administration led to the decline of the Yuan dynasty
Peasant leader Ju Yuanzhang founded the Ming dynasty Turk Timur-i Lang brought new expansion to Eurasia Conquests in Persia, the Fertile Crescent, India, and
southern Russia Barbaric destruction of conquered lands—his campaigns
outdid even the Mongols in ferocity Rule did not increase commercial expansion, cross-
cultural exchanges, or internal peace. After his death in 1405, Timur's empire fell apart, and
last great challenge of the steppe nomads to Eurasian civilizations ended
Theme 4: Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems
Turkic expansion covered less territory than Mongol expansion, failed to increase trade, and provided no internal peace
Mongols: nomadic society and culture Survival depended on well-being of herds of goats and
sheep Staple foods: meat and milk from herds, trade for grain
and vegetables with sedentary farmers Traded hides and dairy for jewelry, weapons and cloth
made in urban centers Russian cities (esp. Moscow) benefitted from increased
commercial possibilities brought by Mongol rule Mongol rule made Trade and cultural contact between
different civilizations throughout Eurasia much easier
Theme 5: Development and Transformation of Social Structures Basic unit of Mongol society: tribe, divided into kin-related
clans Change in administration of China under Mongols: Mongols
discontinued use of examination system to keep the scholar-gentry from gaining too much power
Leadership in Mongol society: leaders were elected by free males and held office for as long as they could keep it
Men dominated leadership positions Women exercised influence within the family and had right to
be heard in tribal councils Mongol women remained aloof from Confucian Chinese
culture. Refused to adopt foot binding and retained rights to property and
control in the household, and freedom of movement Some Mongol women hunted and went to war
Freedom of women declined under Kubilai’s successors
Theme 5 continued Yuan social order: Muslims and central Asian allies ranked below the
Mongols After Chinggis Khan's death, administration of empire:
Territory divided into four regional kingdoms (khanates) ruled by sons & grandsons
Chinggis Khan's third son, Ogedei: chosen as grand khan, presided over further Mongol conquests for nearly a decade
After Russian invasion by Mongols: Many peasants sought protection by becoming serfs major change in rural
social structure: serfdom, which endured until the middle of the nineteenth century
New social structure emerged in China under Kubilai Khan: Mongols at top, their nomadic and Islamic allies directly below them. Both
dominated highest levels of administration. Beneath them: north Chinese, then ethnic Chinese and peoples of south.
Kubilai’s policies initially favored the peasantry Their land was protected from Mongol cavalrymen, and famine relief measures
were introduced Tax and labor burdens were reduced A revolutionary change was formulated—but not enacted—for establishing
elementary education at the village level